quote #1:Under existing law, landlords can free vacant apartments from regulation if they make improvements that let them raise the rent above $2,000 a month. Critics say the existing system enables landlords to deregulate apartments without notifying anyone or proving that the apartments qualify for $2,000-plus rents.

quote #2:The head of the city's biggest landlord group, Joseph Strasburg, president of the Rent Stabilization Association, said, "These provisions would simply promote further bureaucracy for the benefit of the wealthiest, most resourceful and least needy of all regulated tenants."

quote#1 is really really close to the old urban legend that the rent is magically deregulated just because the landlord say so. bunk. they had to rewrite that law in 97 because some people, including dhcr, deliberately mis-applied the 93+94 words...

quote#2: what a jerk that guy is! who is this hurting? 50% of us!how does the landlord get a vacant apartment, do minor repairs & painting, and then charge some kid(s) $2001 for it? by harassing the hell out of anyone who moved in before 95, refusing repairs, sueing for a cat you had ten years already, anything to make your life miserable, and cost you $$$$ to fight. tenants give up, move out. so who is this $2001 dereg hurting? the 50% of us at or below median, soon all of us below $1000. oh yeah, the 20% vacancy is killing us too... it makes it easier to reach the 'luxury' limit legally.

change that 'luxury' dereg to $2000 PER ROOM. and kill the vacancy allowance. and the poor tax.